Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mstrat]

Does anyone know what the teaching is like at English Town, in Gwacheon City? Any all details relating to this school would be great to know before I have the phone interview.

More importantly, any issues with housing, salaries, teaching hours? What is the average salary for a teacher with experience at English Town?

My recruiters are really bragging this school up but I don't want to fall into something thats not legit.

[gogophoto]

I can't tell you anything specific about the hagwon, but I can give you some general advice:

1) There isn't a job in all of Korea that a recruiter won't talk up--it's their job to get you to sign on the dotted line, plain and simple. The chances that a recruiter interviewing tens of applicants a day and working with that many or more hagwons on a regular basis has ANY idea of exactly how good a particular job is are slim.

2) There are literally hundreds to thousands of hagwons out there, many of them smaller operations unaffiliated with any larger chain. Your best bet in finding a decent gig is to ask to be put in touch with the current foreign teacher or teachers--preferably when they are not at work. Ask a few questions, test the waters. If the hagwon won't do this, tread carefully or get out of the water altogether--i.e. keep looking.

3) Don't be afraid to say NO to a job. If this is the first position they have thrown you, don't worry there will be others. I hear the job search process is getting a lot harder from abroad--I have a few friends doing it now. There are still plenty of jobs recruiters will send you, though.

As far as the city itself, I live fairly close by in Anyang. I have never actually walked around Gwacheon, but here are my impressions: relatively small for a suburb, it looks rather new. Also, boring. Extremely close to Seoul--15 minutes to Sadang station, the first subway station in Seoul proper.

That's all I have for now--hope it helps!

[mstrat]

How about the theme-oriented curriculum? How does this work? I don't want this be a performing arts school like the English Village is. I am in no way wanting to sign with a school like this.

[gogophoto]

Does English Town have theme-oriented curriculum? That sounds like an English Village style hagwon to me.

[mstrat]

Yeah. From what I found online and what the recruiters are saying it is. However, not like English Village; I had a job offer from there as well and didn't want to go with that b/c it was more performing arts based curriculum.

What I found, were themes like; studio, immigration, reporting/news, etc.. But I haven't been able to find much more than that. I hear its a newer school which could be the reason. Oh, they have a pool and exercise area for the kids to help the kids stay active during class time.